


The Jade Prince

by WarriorHeart



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, Jade Exchange AU from tumblr, Kidnapping, More tags to be added, Oops?, Painful Past(s), and everyone is happy, at first, basically lloyd and rumi switch, everyone is happy, garmie/koko are the royals, i am not writing out all those names so be satisified with sons of garmadon, i'll provide links to the creator, if i put much more i will spoil stuff, various other people that will come in and out of play
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-03 21:57:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14005674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarriorHeart/pseuds/WarriorHeart
Summary: Jade Exchange AU - Lloyd and Harumi have swapped placesHarumi, the green ninja, is respected among all for her leadership and steep learning curve of being a ninja and hero. That respect only grows when the ninja are requested to protect the royal family in a public speech - and from there, they get caught up in a large scheme that will test their trust and make them double-think about those they are close to. Will the Oni return, or will the Dragon reign forever?





	1. The Jade Prince

**Author's Note:**

> i know i'm very original with titles. basically i fell in love with this AU from posts that can be found here http://askkaiflame.tumblr.com/tagged/jade-exchange-au (apologies - I might tweak the design of Lloyd's outfit juuuuust a little because I get carried away)  
> All credit goes to the AU's creator, I'm just putting up my own interpretation of how S8 would go with this~  
> (also SO HELP ME GOD IT WAS SO DIFFICULT TO THINK OF A NEW NAME FOR THE SOG SO IF ANYONE HAS BETTER SUGGESTIONS THAN SONS OF THE ONI PLEASE TELL ME ASAP)  
> Enjoy!

The cheers of the crowds gradually faded as the ninja entered the Jade Palace, following Hutchins through the delicate and ornate halls. It was a sight to behold; and an atmosphere none of the ninja wished to break, speaking only in the softest whispers to show their awe for not only the breathtaking patterns and architect - but the fact they were even in the palace in the first place.

Their voices tapered off completely when they entered the throne room. It was much more jarring seeing the King so close; they had seen him in the speech, but that was from a distance at all angles. His face showed few signs of wear, very subtle and hard to detect. His hair was peppered with grey, interrupting the slightly curled chestnut hair beneath his crown. His eyes, a brilliant green, flickered towards the six ninja as they entered, and a kind, fatherly smile spread across his face instantly. "Ah! Welcome, ninja!"

Beside King Garmadon stood his wife, Queen Koko. Her bright red hair was simply styled in a braided bun, and, like her husband, her face was kind, if slightly worn from age. Her own eyes were a turquoise color, following the King's gaze as he spoke. Both wore similarly styled robes; the grassy green of the royal family, decorated with swirling cherry blossom patterns near the hems. In contrast to Garmadon, Koko wore no crown to signal her status, though it was unneeded. For the most part, it was clear Garmaodn had only worn his for public appearances, as he removed it and handed it to a servant with care after greeting them.

"Hutchins, please find Lloyd," Koko stated, adjusting her focus to the Master of Arms. "He mentioned his wish to meet the ninja as soon as possible."

"Of course, your highness." With a quick bow, the raven-haired bodyguard left the room with an entrance perpendicular to the one the ninja had entered through.

With a slight motion from Harumi, the six were quick to bow in respect, though Garmadon was quick to give a light chuckle. "Please, there's no need for that. You are honored guests, and your status as Ninjago's protectors make you more than our equals."

As the rest straightened, Harumi fixed her gaze on the royal couple, offering a gentle smile. "It's what we do best, your highness. Anyone in our situations would do as such. We are honored to be here."

 _I hate formal talk_ was the first thought on Harumi's mind as she spoke. It was difficult enough for her to speak normally without goofing here and there, so it was terrifying to have any such risk of doing so in front of the royal family. Thankfully, she was momentarily spared by footsteps ringing across the stone floor.

"Ah, and here's our son," Koko commented with a hum. She gave a smile to the third person that joined them, standing between Garmadon and Koko with an air of nervous excitement. As far as first impressions went, Harumi felt... mildly surprised to see just _how short the prince was._

The teenaged prince had straw-blond hair, a little longer than his father's, restrained only by the crown he wore - less decorated than his father or mother's, but still more intricate than anything that would ever be available to anyone with anything less than a large fortune. Small leaves made up the body of the silver crown, and a small, raindrop-shaped emerald hung from a delicate chain to the center of his forehead. The simplicity was what gave it elegance, but that was a mere fraction of his appearance.

Naturally pale skin brought out the rich green of the prince's left eye and the odd vibrance of his crimson left one. It faintly reminded Harumi of something just out of memory; likely a foe from the past they had defeated. There had been many rumors surrounding the origin of the prince's heterochromia eyes; some said it was physical proof the prince would have a dark side; others said his grandfather had had a similar condition, and select few had suggested perhaps it was merely a call for attention and was simply a colored contact lense. Nevertheless, it was hard to look away, though other details were easy to notice - the lighter green shade of his robes and clothes underneath, adorned with the royal crest of the family - a dragon with the wings of a phoenix, to show the royals could overcome any challenge with a fierce yet gentle nature - and the like. Unlike during the speech, he wore no makeup of any sort, and the white-and-red cape was missing, as well. It gave the blond prince a more childish and simple look while still retaining the royal side.

It was clear Lloyd's small smile was a struggle to contain a much larger grin as he gave a small, quick bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, truly!"

_Why was he so cute._

Kai was the first to step forwards slightly, offering a smile in return. "The pleasure is ours, your highness. We're happy to serve you and Ninjago in any way we can."

"Well, yes, that much was apparent from the sheer number of times you've saved us all," Lloyd commented, shoulders shaking lightly with the attempt to hold back laughter. Though with a smile at the scene, Garmadon's expression was grave, bringing them back to the task at hand.

"On the subject of such, Hutchins informs us you'll be quite valuable in saving us once more on the matter of the Oni masks. The royal family protects one, but if the Sons of the Oni were able to get past the security of Borg Industries without setting off an alarm until the end of their attempt, we are better safe than sorry."

"You can count on us, your highness," Jay chirped, giving a small grin of excitement. "The best way to stop a ninja is to be a ninja. We'll catch them!"

With a smile, Garmadon inclined his head in a small nod. "You have our thanks. You are welcome to remain in the Jade Palace until the threat of their group is gone. I also hope it's not too much to ask you look out for Lloyd; though Hutchins is an amazing bodyguard, we have reason to believe they might target him as much as the mask."

"Of course," Harumi spoke, bowing her head. "We are at your service, your highness. Whatever you need of us, we will do."

Lloyd peered up at his father hopefully. "Does this mean I can leave the palace since I have more than one bodyguard?"

Koko rested a gentle hand on the blond's shoulders. "Until the threat of the Sons of the Oni is gone, we cannot risk anything," she said softly. "You are the most valuable thing in this entire palace to us, Lloyd. If we lose you, we lose everything."

Disappointment flashed in the prince's eyes, but he nodded. "Of course, mother... I understand."

"Thank you, my son... Hutchins, please show the ninja where they will be staying for now. We will talk more at dinner."

As they left, Harumi couldn't help but sneak a glance back at Lloyd as Garmadon and Koko left through another doorway. As quick as the prince was to wipe them away, he wasn't quick enough to hide the brief tears slipping from his eyes.

-

Out of concern for the prince, Harumi had placed herself in the position closest to his room. The others were scattered throughout the hall the Oni Mask was guarded in, talking quietly here and there as they kept an eye out for any suspicious activity. Hutchins had placed himself nearby, likely with the same goal as Harumi - to watch over both the mask and the prince as best as possible. It was because of this that she became frustrated; despite the gaping distance in their positions and status, she wanted to ensure Lloyd was alright. The royal family had been out of the public for so long, she wouldn't be surprised if the blond had hardly ever left the palace in his lifetime.

It was around midnight that a guard approached Hutchins, and they talked in lowered voices that not even Harumi's above-average hearing could pick up. After a few moments, Hutchins gave a nod and followed the guard down the hall, and the green ninja couldn't help but suck in a soft, hopeful breath. The moment they turned the corner, she quietly slipped into the prince's room.

She had gotten a brief look earlier during their tour. After recovering in the throne room, Lloyd had returned to his quarters to read and prepare for dinner. It was interesting to see he used no assistants for dressing or applying makeup, as she had noticed Koko and Garmadon doing earlier. He had been delicate in applying the mask of powder, straying even longer on the portion next to his right eye. It was then that he had noticed her watching in the mirror, the white makeup doing little to conceal his blush of embarrassment, and Hutchins had closed the door.

She had seen a neat, organized room - bookshelves lining the walls, a perfectly made bed to one side, and a balcony window overlooking the castle courtyards and gardens. Every book was in place, every brush for makeup aligned just so - as if a person didn't even live there. But now, several books were scattered along the floor, the sheets of the bed were messy, and a cloth stained with red and white streaks had scattered the brushes onto the floor. Most alarmingly, the doors to the balcony were open - and Lloyd was nowhere to be seen.

In a heartbeat, she was on the balcony, scanning the area frantically. There had been no noise, no indication of a struggle. It had been silent ever since she'd heard Lloyd get ready for sleep, and even then there had been very little sound.

Movement along the wall around the palace caught her attention. A hooded figure with a large bag was just hopping over the tallest part of the slope and sliding out of view.

No time to call for help. Already in motion, Harumi pulled her hood down, using her elevation to vault onto the roofing of the wall. The figure wasn't hard to spot in a dark green hoodie, and the green ninja was quick to follow after them. No doubt the prince was being kidnapped. Despite wanting to rush and be reckless, she knew it would be better to have the element of surprise. If the kidnapper realized they were being followed, she would risk harm befalling the prince.

Still, it was hard to remain out of sight when a large, open area presented itself to her. The figure had disappeared on the other side, and with a soft groan, Harumi was quick to use anything to her advantage and get across. Wires and clotheslines were her allies, along with a ladder-

Well, nevermind about that one. Rusted joints gave way as she grabbed the rungs, and in a flash of terror, she yelped as she began to fall, eyes darting for anything to catch hold of, anything to save her from the hard concrete below, before something jerked on her arm and warmth surrounded her hand.

She was quick to look up as the hooded figure she'd been chasing pulled her up with a grunt, backing up a few steps as she got into a battle stance. "Who are y-?!"

Her question was answered when Lloyd pulled down his hood with a smile. "You're full of surprises, green ninja. I would have expected at least a thank you from anyone else."

"Y-your Highness! My apologies- I thought you were being kidnapped," Harumi rushed, pulling down her own hood. "I was trying to rescue you-"

"Oh, is that what that was?" Lloyd teased, smiling. "Please, there's no need for formalities out here, like this. Call me Lloyd."

"Well... If you insist, I guess you can call me Rumi. All the others do."

"With pleasure," the blond hummed, turning to the large sack he'd brought with. With loosened ties, Harumi was easily able to see fruits and bread in the faint light of the billboards below them. "Since there's always so much at the palace, I head out at night to give some to those less fortunate," Lloyd explained, pulling it over his shoulder. "It's a much better option than the food going to waste. Mom and dad do their best, but it always feels better when you get to see the people's faces light up when you help them yourself." He led the way down a set of stairs to an abandoned street. Closed stores and homes lined the walkway, and plenty of people huddled together for warmth.

When they saw Lloyd and the bag over his shoulder, all of the children were quick to swarm them, faces eager with delight at having even a few bites of food. With a laugh, the prince set the bag down, and together, the two started handing out food to everyone that came by.

By the time the food was gone, everyone was in much brighter spirits, laughing and chatting with one another in the middle of eating. With a smile, Rumi turned to Lloyd, who had rolled up the bag and put it under his arm. "I see what you mean... We always see only a few of the people we help, and that's only for a few moments in the heat of battle. This... This is a lot better."

"You don't need to save the world to be someone's hero," Lloyd said softly, watching the children running around and playing tag. "The simplest of things can make the biggest difference, sometimes."

He blinked when Harumi rested a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see her smiling. "I know what you mean, Lloyd. I was like these kids, once... Until someone was kind enough to offer me a home and food, and a life that I could help those who couldn't help themselves."

"Quite the turnaround," Lloyd chuckled, moving along the walkway as he spoke with Harumi remaining by his side. "It seems destiny works in odd ways."

"That it does... Do your parents know you do this?"

"Lord, no. If they did they would have Hutchins watching over me at night like they did when I was a child after someone tried to attack during my father's announcement of my birth. Speaking of slightly traumatic pasts, may I ask about the scar over your eye?"

Harumi faltered for a moment, a hand drifting up to trace along the reddened scar. "...It was the fire that caused me to lose my parents. A burning support beam hit me in the head, leaving me with this scar and various others on my sides and legs. It's harder to see out of it, too, which is why the ninja are always so protective. I have a minor blind spot, and more than a few enemies exploited it."

"Oh... I'm sorry, Rumi, I didn't mean to bring up painful memories-"

"No, no, it's not your fault. The ninja are my family, now." Rumi gave the prince a comforting smile. "We should probably make our way back to the palace, soon. Hutchins left briefly with another guard, but he's bound to be back soon."

"He's almost as bad as mother and father," Lloyd huffed, but he steered them back towards where they'd come from. "Though he has given me sparring lessons. He convinced mom and dad for that, thankfully."

"Then he's not all that bad," Harumi shrugged. "Better than Sensei. He's very vague and whenever someone new we have to fight comes in, he rushes in with a 'ninja, there's something I haven't told you!'"

Lloyd started giggling, a grin slipping onto his face. "Yes, that sounds like uncle."

"Wait, what-?"

"He doesn't tell many people, but he and my father are brothers. Being the younger, he knew there was little chance of becoming heir, so he decided to help train people to defend themselves - and, Ninjago, when the time came," Lloyd hummed, slipping his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "He visits now and again. I haven't seen him in ages, though."

"Well, maybe we can convince him to come with us. After all-"

A crash interrupted her, and the sound of motors made them both tense. Pain blossomed in Harumi's back as something slammed into her; she heard Lloyd give a cry, heard the laugh of the bikers-

But by the time she looked up, they were gone, leaving her completely alone with the echoes of Lloyd's cry for help in her ears.


	2. The Oni and The Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get an explanation of why the Sons of the Oni are around in the first place, and why they need Lloyd.  
> I.e.: Lots of exposition, very little action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna start off real quick with a huge thank-you to all the people who commented on the first chapter <3 You guys are amazing and the support is beyond words~  
> Now, onto tortureImean the chapter!

Pain throbbed through his head as he drifted into consciousness. His shoulder was at an awkward angle, and his right side was pressed on a cold surface. With a soft groan of discomfort, the blond prince opened his eyes, peering around the darkness. It took several nerve-wracking moments for his vision to adjust; when it did, he half wished it hadn't.

He was in a dark cell, metal covering the entirety of it. A faint door-like shape was across from him, and he noticed a small slot at eye level and on the ground. Otherwise, the cell was bare from anything else - bed, blanket, any comfort at all.

With another grimace, Lloyd shifted, sitting up. As he did, he could hear the faint clinks of metal chains, glancing down to see his wrists shackled. The chain attached to a think ring on the wall - too sturdy to ever hope to pull out of.

Memories came back in a crawl. He remembered playfully letting Harumi chase him across the rooftops... Catching her before she fell, and then letting her help pass out food, and learning about her scar, and then... Then motors and several masked bikers surrounded them, and Harumi fell, and someone pulled him back by the hood; he remembered no more.

Dread and panic clutched his heart. If the Sons of the Oni had captured him, there was no telling what they knew about the family history. He himself knew very little of it, only remembering vague stories Wu had told him to get him to bed. Garmadon would take part sometimes when his duties didn't keep him late, and they would reenact the Oni and the Dragon, always with the elder being the Dragon and the younger the Oni. 

What would they want with him? Would they kill him as a sacrifice to the Oni? Or were they convinced that he could bring back the Oni somehow? What were the masks for? So many questions raced through his head, and he curled up, hiding his face in his knees, and wept.

-

The worst moment in Harumi's life behind losing her parents was the slow trudge back to the palace without the very person she had sworn to protect only the morning before. Disoriented and dizzy, she'd had no hope of tracking the bikers even if they hadn't gotten several minutes head start on her. Thus, she walked miserably back to the Jade Palace, nearly getting lost several times. _Probably a concussion._

In fact, the only reason she got back at all was with the assistance of someone she couldn't recognize in the dark, let alone with a potential concussion. They moved along the rooftops as smoothly as any of the ninja could, giving soft whistles to keep the green ninja on track. Once the Palace was in sight, the mysterious helper vanished, leaving Harumi slightly confused but extremely grateful.

She found Kai waiting by the gates for her, expression grim and arms crossed. Noticing her unsteady stance, he moved to help her, slipping under one arm to support her. "The Sons of the Oni were here half an hour ago. The prince is missing and they got the mask. They nearly set fire to the palace, too, but Zane and Nya put it out before it could spread."

"They got Lloyd," Harumi mumbled, bowing her head. "He snuck out to give extra food... food away to the poor. I caught up with him 'nd helped, but on our way back, we were attacked..."

"Of course they'd plan it like that," Kai hissed. "Slip in while we're panicked over the prince and grab the mask, then distract us with fire."

"What would they need him for, though...? We... We still don't know why they're taking the masks..."

"Sensei is here. He said he'd explain once you got back."

The two made their way silently to the dining hall. The rest of the ninja, an exhausted and bruised Hutchins, a ranting Garmadon, and the calm-as-ever Wu (sipping tea, nonetheless) were all gathered there.

"I should have been with him, he gets nightmares and goes out to his balcony at night, he was an easy target-" Garmadon was tugging at his hair, and had even ripped out a few strands. He was pacing the length of the room, rambling on and on before Wu calmly set his teacup down and slammed the end of his staff on the stone floor. The loud _crack_ made everyone wince and go silent, turning to him. Out of the corner of her eye, Rumi noticed Koko enter, her red hair pulled into a messy ponytail and tugging the sash of her robe tight. Had she not been disoriented, she would have noticed the small flash of metal at her wrists, quickly hidden by the long sleeves of the robe.

"Enough, brother. Saying what you should have done will not bring your son back," Wu spoke, leveling his gaze at Garmadon. The latter bowed his head, giving a sigh.

"I know, Wu. I just... I swore to protect him so long ago, and now he's gone."

Cole interrupted quietly before their teacher could reply. "Sensei... We need to know. Why do the Sons of the Oni want Lloyd?"

Wu stared at him for a few moments, then leaned against the table with a sigh. "I suppose it's time to-"

"There's something you haven't told us again, isn't there?" A small chuckle left most of the ninja at Jay's remark, and a smile touched Wu's lips.

"Yes, Jay. Though this something has to do with my identity and the identity of my father. Know, however, that this is a secret of the royal family, so to tell anyone not currently in this room would be a breach of the enormous amount of trust we are about to place in you.

"My full title is Prince Wu Garmadon. My brother is King Montgomery Garmadon, but that is the least of our concerns. The tale begins before Ninjago's creation; in another of the sixteen realms. The first, to be precise - the realm of the Oni and the Dragon, physical beings that represented chaos and peace. They fought eternally, destroying many things they came across. However, the symbol now commonly referred to as 'yin and yang' holds the key to the next part of this story.

"In the symbol, there are two sides - light and dark. However, each has a part of the other inside of it to make them whole. _There cannot be dark without light, nor light without dark_. Such are the words of our father. Both the Oni and the Dragon had a piece of themselves in their counterpart, and this tore them apart from the inside. Eventually, these two halves were ripped from the Oni and the Dragon and merged... Forming the being and man we now know as the First Spinjitzu Master - and first King of Ninjago.

"Our father pleaded with the Oni and the Dragon to cease their fighting, for if they continued, they would destroy the first realm completely, eliminating life as we know it. Instead, they both tried to sway him to their side; being a perfect mix of the two of them, he was more powerful than either of them. Disgusted at their resistance, he abandoned them and created Ninjago and people he could watch over. In time, he fell in love with one and had children.

"The nature of the Oni and Dragon heritage is very specific. Father has told us before that in Ninjago's time of need, the eldest child of the youngest line will be able to harness the powers of both Oni and Dragon. When he had sons, this locked and hidden power passed to Garmadon, and, now, to Lloyd. Many would think that is where the story ends, but it is far from over.

"The Oni, furious at the First Spinjitzu Master for abandoning them, broke his essence into three masks during the battle that killed them both. These are known as the Oni Masks today; masks that, when worn, give their wearers one-third of the Oni's abilities. Deception, Vengeance, and Hatred. In hopes of protecting Matsuka's new creations and newborn sons, the Dragon scattered them across the world and put a spell on the third - one that ensured even if the other two masks were found, the third could only ever be taken by he who had the power of the Oni and the Dragon within him. This is why they need Lloyd - to get the third mask. For with them, the Sons of the Oni can force that hidden power to surface, and the Oni will live again."

The room was completely silent for a long time. It felt like hours, though Harumi knew it was only a few minutes. A shiver went up her spine, and she couldn't help but ask: "Sensei... If Lloyd is a mix of Oni and Dragon... And the Sons of the Oni want to bring out only the Oni... What would happen to the Dragon?"

Wu met her gaze solemnly. "To ensure the Oni is never again influenced by the Dragon, they will kill him."

-

Harumi lay in the medical bay, staring at the ceiling silently. After the shock of what Wu had told them, the ninja had been ushered to bed by Koko and Garmadon, ever the parental figures. Kai had protested the most, saying they had to find Lloyd as soon as possible, but Koko had refuted his argument by saying 'even ninja need sleep, and Harumi needs medical attention.'

Still, Rumi had a fair assumption none of them would sleep a moment.

In a way, Lloyd was like them. He had powers deep down that could be unlocked in Ninjago's time of need, just like their elemental powers. He was afraid and alone, just like all of them had been when they first found their powers... A shudder went through her as painful memories came flooding back.

_Screams and cries mixed with her own wails. The walls were glowing, the walls were hot, but all she could focus on was the man trying to get her out of her bed. She wailed and wailed as her father screamed from outside her door, banging and slamming against it to try to help her._

_Flames danced along the floor towards the bad man, and he was screaming, too, he was hopping from one foot to the other trying to get himself to stop burning, but the flames kept coming and she kept wailing and her door flew open and she heard her mother coughing, her father moving towards her and picking her up, shielding her from the sight of the man's skin burning and his screams dying off._

_He set her down in the hall, wheezing and coughing like her mother. He had asthma, she knew, and he couldn't breathe well in stressful situations, especially not with smoke. Her mother pushed her to the door, called something out that was cut off by coughing, but before Harumi could reach the door something hit her in the head and everything went black._

She had long since learned that she was the cause of the fire; her emotions had run high and she had no other choice. At the time, before the Overlord had sapped her or her golden power, she had possessed small amounts of each main element - earth, fire, ice, lightning. It was the fire that had raged through her that night. Because of it, Kai became a brother to her, spending extra time helping her to train to control her powers.

Still - her parents had died because of her.

She curled onto her side, hiding her face in her knees, and wept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry Harumi you're an amazing person in this AU but I couldn't help myself and I wanted the chapter to be longer so here you go, Rumi's backstory and a very brief check-in on Lloyd.  
> Also, for future chapters, keep this line in mind:  
> There cannot be dark without light, nor light without dark.  
> It will be very, very important, but it might take a while to figure out why...  
> Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Two Masks, One Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lloyd uses his first chance to try to get free... and it fails horribly.  
> With the ninja, a desperate search for the final mask ensues, along with several rumors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LLOYD IS NOT A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS AND ANYONE WHO SAYS SO CAN FIGHT ME OUT BACK.  
> Just because he's a prince doesn't mean he's helpless. Hutchins has given him fighting lessons, after all~  
> Koko is best mom, again, if you think otherwise fight me out back :)  
> Some things might be confusing soon regarding Rumi and Lloyd's individual pasts, so if you have questions, feel free to ask! And if you're afraid to spoil something, message me on fea-warriorheart on Tumblr.  
> And, of course, AU credit goes to the wonderful askkaiflame on Tumblr!  
> Enjoy~

Harumi's internal body clock told her to wake up, but her mind told her to roll over and go back to sleep. Of course, she followed her mind.

After a fitful night of sleep filled with nightmares, she was exhausted when she woke up on instinct. Her head was pounding, too (like that one time Morro made her get drunk) so she'd fallen back asleep. She woke up and, judging by the sun, it was either one hour or several hours later.

The medical bay was empty; with slow movements to not irritate her head, Rumi stood and made her way out, wandering to where she heard familiar voices. She ended up in the dining hall again, which had apparently been turned into a war room. Of everyone, Koko and Garmadon looked to have the least sleep, but it was a close call. She was noticed fairly quickly, and she gave a sheepish smile as she walked over. "Sorry for sleeping so late..."

"Don't worry, Harumi," Koko said gently, "you needed it. And lots more to come, if the Sons of the Oni will continue to play unfairly like that."

"Oh, please, all of our enemies play unfairly," Kai grumbled. He sent a concerned glance to Rumi which was deflected with a simple smile. His gaze shifted back to the detailed map of Ninjago; there was the island as a whole and then individual maps detailing the city and various locations. Several had been scribbled on with red and black markers, and dozens more lay scattered on the floor behind Garmadon. The king himself was the only one sitting, elbows resting on the table and head in hands. It was clear he still blamed himself for the night before.

"So... What're you doing?" Harumi asked quietly, moving closer. She peered down at the maps, noting several locations were circled, X-ed out, or both. Question marks surrounded Hiroshi's Labyrinth along with several other forest areas, but the clear main focus was the map of the city.

"Trying to figure out plausible locations for the gang," Cole explained, gesturing to the maps. "We've mostly decided on the city, but we can't figure out where."

"They'd probably take a hint from the Serpentine," Harumi murmured, brushing a hand through her hair. "Bikers clustering around an abandoned building would be too obvious. What about the subway systems? Checked those?"

"Mhm. Every abandoned line and everything. There's nothing except a bunch of hollow spots, but Cole said there was no way in or out," Jay piped up. "And I've tried everything to hack into anything they could use. Either they have a counter-hacker or they don't use technology at all."

"Okaaaay... What about the Labyrinth? Cyrus keeps the Realm Crystal hidden there, there could be an unlimited number of things hidden there."

(She noticed Jay and Nya shift nervously at 'Realm Crystal,' but ignored it in trying to think with a headache.)

"That's what we were wondering," Kai sighed, shaking his head. "Cyrus has the nindroids scanning the entire area. They've gone over a huge portion and he says they haven't reported human life."

"And they would have to have some sort of technology to keep themselves updated on what's happening in the city," Zane added. "Especially from that distance. Neither Jay nor I have found a trace."

The room was silent for a while. Something was nagging at the back of Harumi's mind, something about Lloyd she'd been wondering about earlier... What was it?

_His eyes._

With a quick inhale, she turned to Garmadon. "Your Highness, if I may-"

"Please, call me Garmadon." The brunette lifted his head, expression the definition of tired. "We are equals, here, Harumi."

"Alright... Garmadon... May I ask why Lloyd has a red eye?"

Garmadon, Misako, and Wu all stiffened.

It was a while before the former replied hesitantly, glancing at his brother. "Lloyd was born in the monastery the Serpentine burned down, just as my brother and I were. After so long of a stressful birth, we were all exhausted and dozed off... It was only when Lloyd started crying out that we all woke to see a snake biting him. It is the very snake you fought once - the Great Devourer. Its venom, as Wu has no doubt told you, has the ability to turn anything evil. While we managed to get most of its poison out, enough was left to affect his physical appearance. We've kept a careful watch, and, thankfully, no mental effects have come into play."

The mention of the venom sent a shiver up Rumi's spine. She had heard her parents talk about it more than once, but... She shook herself a bit, casting the thought away. "If that's so, then... I believe I know someone who can help."

Garmadon shot up, hope sparking in his eyes. "Who?"

"He might not be willing to cooperate, but... We need some magic on our side."

-

His eyes were long dried when the door finally slid open. He didn't bother to lift his head as someone approached, mentally steeling himself as they grabbed his right arm and unchained him.

The second his wrists were free, he lunged into the guard, bowling into him and knocking him to the side. He sprang to his feet, heart racing as he darted out of the cell, slamming the door shut as he did.

His first hint of alarm should have been that there were no other guards there to help. Or did they just think him a damn damsel in distress? No matter, this was a chance he had to take. Left or right? He chose left, sprinting off as the door started sliding open.

He turned corners left and right, trying to confuse his pursuer - and, in the process, utterly losing himself in the maze. Torches lined the dark stone walls, and more than a few areas had mold or were crumbling. Still, he saw no doors, no exits, only an eternal maze.

Lloyd tripped and stumbled, falling on his face. With a wince, he gingerly pulled himself up, hissing at the stinging pain in his cheek. A thin layer of skin had been stripped off in the skid, leaving the burning pain of a floor burn. Based on a few spots of red appearing on the ground, it was also bleeding.

The blond tore off a bit of his hoodie, gingerly pressing the cloth to his cheek. There was no telling what might happen, or how long it might take to get disinfectant. As pain slowed his mind a bit, he took a glance around and froze.

Slowly, he stood, pressing a hand against one of the walls. He dragged it across, and a layer of mold tore away with his touch. Underneath was spiraling patterns, and as he cleared more, he felt sick as he realized it was a dragon with phoenix wings.

"Oh god," he whispered, "I'm under the palace."

"That you are, kiddo."

He whipped around to see a woman with a high ponytail and long, black hair. Her skin was grey, and her facial features were defined in white - sharp cheekbones and a scar across her right cheek. Her entire outfit seemed either purple, grey or black. She had a wild look in her dark eyes that made Lloyd step back.

"Awe, little prince's afraid. How cute. Don't worry, we're not allowed to hurt you yet - though I would _love to_ for that little stunt you pulled."

"Who are you?" Lloyd demanded, letting the hand covering his cheek drop to a defensive position as he shifted his legs. If she was the one who'd come in his cell, she had all the more reason to be pissed at him.

"The name's Ultraviolet, kid. Now, be the nice prince who follows orders and get back in your cell."

Lloyd's eyes darted around him, heart aching for a way out. He kept backing up slowly, and Ultraviolet kept coming closer and closer. He knew he was giving up far too much ground, but he needed a way out.

His breath caught when he noticed a door. Ultraviolet noticed his gaze instantly; she lunged, but with a swift turn, Lloyd dodged her and slammed the door open. Stairs greeted him - a servant's passageway, one of the many laced through the palace. Not wasting even a moment, he started sprinting, stumbling now and again, but his heart kept racing, about to burst from his chest, because-

Because he was right outside of the dining hall, and he could hear his father explaining his eyes, and he reached for the door, mouth open to call out to him, a sound of joy already escaping.

A wall of stone blocked the door, and he screamed in frustration, pounding at it. _"No! Let me see him! Let me out! Let me go!"_

More walls formed around him, slowly closing in around him before his arms were pinned to his sides and his mouth was covered. From the stairs came a hulking figure wearing an orange mask - The Mask of Deception. He felt helpless as the man took off the mask, revealing similar grey skin to Ultraviolet.

(Perhaps it wasn't their actual skin color? Who knew.)

"Now now, all we were doing was being nice," the man hummed, moving closer and gripping the stone. After a moment, it cracked, then broke, and he quickly secured Lloyd's arms at his side while picking him up and covering his mouth. "Gotta make sure you're all nice and pretty for the ceremony."

"Killow, shut up and get the brat down here."

"Coming," Killow called in response, grumbling some curses as he walked back down the stairs. One such included calling Ultraviolet a female dog.

As much as Lloyd squirmed, he couldn't break Killow's grip. It was starting to hurt, too, especially with his fingers digging into his injured cheek. By the time he gave up, they'd reached another metal door; Ultraviolet pushed it open and led the way inside, closing the door as Killow entered with the prince.

Confusion entered his mind as he saw an elegant bathing chamber; lavender hit his nose within moments. A pool of water was in the center, and several servants waited along the sides with various objects in hand. To his horror, he realized they were the servants of the palace.

Nowhere was safe. That was how they always knew where everything was - his family kept in touch with Cyrus to ensure the Mask of Vengeance remained secure. That's how they knew where to go. That's how they knew where he was. That's how they knew-

He gave a yelp as he was thrown into the water, quickly surfacing with a cough - only to be pushed back down again. When he surfaced, there was a flurry of movement, and the cold water suddenly hit bare skin. It wasn't long before his teeth were chattering, especially since several servants kept him still while more worked on his hair. He was dunked under several more times, and he was almost startled at the sudden warmth on his cheeks - before the sting told him that tears were falling once more.

"You've got a very special day ahead of you," Killow rumbled when he was finally dragged from the pool of water, shivering helplessly and naked. "Better if you look your best."

He didn't stop crying as they applied a salve to his burn, dried him, and dressed him. He only stopped when he saw who walked in next.


	4. Reborn Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ninja have figured out the general location of the final Oni Mask based on hints left by the First Spinjitzu Master. Along the way to defend the area from the Sons of the Oni, something finally clicks for Harumi...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is it just me or does this feel like it's going very very fast?? Probably because most of the events prior to Ch.1 are the only things that run alongside the show directly. Anyways~ The mysterious traitor Lloyd found (among many) will get to remain as such for a while because I am that much of an ass. But we do get to see why Rumi feels like she should remember the venom of the Devourer~  
> Enjoy!

The whir of the Bounty's engines had never failed to lull Harumi to sleep until now. For the life of her, she couldn't stop thinking about the past Wu and Garmadon had explained, and that Lloyd had the venom of the Devourer in him. Not enough, of course, to affect him, but enough to make others wary.

Thus, she's ended up moving above deck, sitting along the railings of the left side and looking up at the stars. On the streets, they had been her only comfort after her home burned. The only thing she looked forward to; sadly, the city had started blocking out most of the natural lights and beauty around the time it was being rebuilt, led by Borg. Still, it was a comfort even her new home couldn't top, one that would never fade.

There was no telling how long she spent there alone, huddled in a spare blanket she'd dragged with her for the soft chill of the night. The stars had shifted positions many times over by the time she heard someone walking up the steps; after a few moments, Nya sat by her side with a quiet hum. "Noticed you weren't in your bed. You doing okay?"

"Yeah... I just..." Harumi frowned, shaking her head. "Something Garmadon talked about is bothering me. But I can't put my finger on why."

"What, the part that the royal family is the descendants of some super-powerful beings, that the Sons of the Oni want to try to use that to their advantage, or that we can't find where they are?"

"None of those, actually." The green ninja shifted; instead of leaning against the railing, she leaned against Nya, her head on the water ninja's shoulder. The latter, for her credit, was never phased by this - many nights had gone by like this when Wu first adopted Harumi into the ninja family. "It's... About the venom. About how it can turn anyone evil. Before that night... I think my parents talked about it when they thought I was asleep."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't remember much, and it was always through the wall of my room, but there was a vent I could usually hear some things from. Mom always got really worried about me finding something out, and that I had some of 'it' in me. But then dad would always assure her that they would have seen signs of the venom by then, and they went to sleep."

"Wait, your parents thought you had the Devourer's venom? But that thing was sealed away long before then!"

"I know! So I don't know how they thought I could have it, unless-" Rumi cut off, staring at nothing. After a moment, Nya nudged her. "Unless what, Rumi...?"

A shiver went through Harumi's entire body, and she shot up. "I- I have to talk to Master Wu!"

"What? Rumi, what's going on?" Nya stood quickly, catching the blonde's blanket before it blew off the ship. "Unless what?"

Harumi turned to face her, unsure of how to feel. Sick, mostly.

"Unless my parents had the venom and then had me. Unless the Devourer bit one or both of them when they were young and- and it passed on to me."

"But your parents never-"

"Not the parents that died that night," Rumi whispered, shaking her head. "Not them. My real parents."

_"....Your real what-"_

-

The faint smell of brewing tea hit Harumi's nose as she entered Wu's room. As expected, the elder was awake - somewhat - and meditating. He lifted his head, however, a few moments after she entered. "Yes, my pupil?"

"Sensei... I- I have something to ask about my parents."

Wu stiffened slightly, then shifted, patting the floor next to him with a quiet sigh. "Sit, please."

Once she rested comfortably next to him, the blond folded his hands in his lap, staring at a miscolored patch of wood from when she'd accidentally spilled a pot of tea and had stained the boards. He was silent for quite a while, trying to find the words to speak.

"I trust you have figured out the parents you lost when you were young were adoptive."

"Yes... And my real parents had the Devourer's venom."

"You are correct. I knew them through Kai and Nya's parents, Ray and Maya, and various others I encountered along my travels after deciding to make something of my life rather than forever be stuck in the Palace. I was not close friends with them; more a passing acquaintance. But when I heard news of the Devourer striking another family only hours after what happened to my nephew, I knew it could only be them. They were in the nearby village at the foot of the mountain, and Maya had informed me of your birth only a week before. It was a miracle you weren't bitten, Harumi... But for your safety, we had to cast out your parents from society. The effects were already spreading rapidly in your mother, still recovering from birth as Misako was, and she was already lashing out at even her husband. She would have hurt you, possibly even killed you.

"I took you into the city and found a modest couple who were unable to bear children or adopt one at the time. They accepted you with open hearts, and for the first few months, I routinely checked in on you to ensure the venom had not entered your blood somehow. When it turned out you were a perfectly healthy child, I departed with relief.

"I only wish I could have realized the significance of the Devourer not biting you. A creature of evil like that is repelled by only one thing - the spirit of a Dragon. My father protected you by allowing his powers to finally pass on to someone. In a way, you are related to the Royal Family in that you have Dragon power in you, if not a blood descendant or with an Oni counterpart. And... as we all found out, these powers made themselves known in the worst of ways a few years later."

The room was silent for a while as Harumi pondered his words. He had confirmed what she feared; her parents had the blood of the Devourer in them... and might still be alive. At the very least, she took comfort in knowing she was not like them in that way.

Wu stood, moving to where his tea kettle was. He poured two cups, adding a dash of sugar to one and handing it to Harumi. "Chamomile tea, to help you sleep, young one. I usually brew some for myself in times like these, and I'm glad I can extend its uses to another."

With a tired smile, Harumi accepted the cup, sipping at the tea. She was no stranger to it; Wu had often been forced to brew some to help her through nightmares of her parents' death. The dash of sugar helped a bit, though, bringing back bittersweet memories of being found by Wu trying to steal candy. In little time, she had downed the tea, gratefully handing her cup back to Wu. "Thank you, Sensei..."

"Of course, Harumi," he replied softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Rest, now. We have much to do tomorrow."

Her eyes were already slipping shut, and alarm flashed through her as she realized Wu hadn't had any of his own tea. He set his cup aside with Harumi's, turning back to her with a smile. "I know you would find it hard to sleep even with the tea, so I added some things. Don't worry; you'll be woken when we arrive. You have my word."

The last thing she could think of before her Sensei caught her from hitting the ground was how silly she was for fearing even a moment he might be trying to hurt her. He was just looking out for her, like a father.

-

Two sets of eyes darted open as furious barking alerted them. One quickly moved to soothe the small wolf pup, stroking a hand down his back. "Hush, Sukoshi. We understand our cue..."

The wolf quieted, peering up at her with black eyes. Everything about the pup was black aside from his underbelly, a harsh grey color. Being the runt of a pack of shadow wolves, he had been exposed to sunlight early on. To them, it was like acid. It was annoying, but the pup's ability to travel through shadows (though, so far, only ones within twenty feet of each other) more than made up for it.

With a click of her tongue, the pup stood, barking one last time before dissolving. He appeared a few feet away, tail wagging impatiently as the two stood.

"Time to hunt, Sukoshi. Fetch."


	5. The Quiet One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the ninja have gone off to guard the third mask, Garmadon and Koko take a trip to a small island prison made for a very particular criminal. While they resent who they have to make a deal with, they have no choice - the life of their son depends on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I very nearly forgot this entire thing last chapter, I'm dumb. Thankfully I didn't say Garm and Koko were with the ninja, so I'm safe~  
> AU credit goes to askkaiflame on Tumblr!

"I still don't get why we have to get help from him, of all people. Plenty of people can do magic!"

"Yes, Garmadon, but only he can do what we need," Koko said gently, resting a hand on her husband's arm as the island near. They'd taken a small boat alone; the guards at the Palace, under Hutchin's orders, were still searching, and none could be spared to escort them.

Besides, as her husband had said, she was all the protection he needed. Which had given her more than enough reason to get out of the uncomfortable formal clothes and instead don her Iron Dragon armor. Much like Lloyd (she knew what he did at night, but had neglected to tell Garmadon - her son was doing good things, and she always kept an eye on him) she slipped out of the Palace at night to help people, though she took a more dangerous route. After all, even the ninja struggled to defend the city now and again.

Garmadon knew of her alternate identity, Lady Iron Dragon, and had kept her secret. The only ones that knew were the few guards on the island ahead, specially chosen by her to guard the sole prisoner the secluded land held. Two were already waiting for their arrival at the docks, helping them moor the ship to the planks as they stepped out. The head of security gave a brief bow. "We've taken every precaution to ensure he won't be a threat while you're here."

"Thank you, Hyottoko," Garmadon murmured, keeping his wife close. He knew exactly why those precautions were needed, and each step brought dread as they walked into the lone building on the island.

The redhead led them through the complex before entering a bare room - well bare aside from the bulletproof glass and the person on the other side. Speakers in the corners of the room ensured communication and protection equally.

The room was silent, but Garmadon knew the man had identified them from the moment they stepped onto the island. As much as they were able to block his spellcasting, he was still able to tell who was in his proximity - current spells were harder to stop. Indeed, after a few moments, the slightly accented voice greeted their ears through the speakers. "And why am I receiving such an honor?"

"Cut the bull. We're here to offer you a deal, but if you try _anything,_ you'll end up right back here."

Hazel eyes peered at them through unkempt, long black hair, and Clouse smiled. "I'm listening."

While Garmadon scowled at him, Koko quickly filled in - the longer these two were near each other, the more likely Garmadon was to snap. "You know about Lloyd's heritage and the venom in his blood. A group called-"

"The Sons of the Oni captured him and you can't find them? I already know the details. They stole my spellbook for the ritual after trying to contact me and finding out I was stuck in here."

"If it wasn't for evil purposes, I wouldn't object to that," Garmadon grumbled. With a small nudge, Koko turned back to Clouse and continued. "Then you know why we cannot let them. Not only would the ritual very likely take the life of an inexperienced magic user, they would kill Lloyd the second the Oni is separated from him."

A small flash of something entered Clouse's eyes, and it was gone in a few moments. He smiled smugly. "So you want my help because your special little guards can't find him. Shame you left your best here to guard little ol' me, eh? I do believe Hyottoko's sick of me right about now."

"You have no idea," the guard muttered.

"Anyways. What would I get in return for helping you find Lloyd and stop the ritual?"

"Freedom," Garmadon said carefully. "But a binding mark will be placed on you, restricting your magic, and you will get no benefits from us. If you ever try to say we support you, you will be treated as a lunatic and may very well end up in jail. If you end up in any shady situation again, alone or with another, we will not hesitate to send you right back here."

Clouse gave a shrug, standing. His restraints clinked as he did; handcuffs and several more chains connected to the wall, and one around his neck connected to the ceiling, just in case. "If it gets me out of here, so be it. Magic always comes with a price, though," he warned, eyes darkening. "I can find your son, but I can't guarantee you'll like where he might be - or who he might be with."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I wouldn't trust all of those around you, Montgomery. The greatest villain is not the one that nearly destroys our world - it's the one that gets away. The one you never even realized was there in the first place."

He tossed his head back, leaving his eyes clear of hair, and leveled his gaze at the royals. "The Quiet One."

-

Unlike their prior trip, nine guards accompanied them back - both to protect them and to keep an eye on Clouse. His hands were still restrained, but it was an odd sight, as he was at the front of the boat, eyes closed and just letting the sun warm his face. To keep it out of his face, he'd styled his hair in a messy bun the few moments his hands were free, but strands still pulled free from the soft breeze.

With a slight jolt, Koko realized this might have been his first time in the sun since he had been imprisoned three years ago after the events of Chen's Tournament. He had been attempting to cast a spell to enter the Cursed Realm and save his master when he was caught, and they couldn't risk anything. His skin and hair were nearly opposites - black upon white, with the faintest possible color from when he was still free.

"I still don't like giving that creep his freedom again," Garmadon muttered, watching him with crossed arms. "There are too many things he could do."

"Well... If you think about it," Koko replied softly, "Did he ever really have any freedom to begin with? He was Chen's student and servant from a young age. He's been with him all these years, and imprisoned the past few. At most, he would have had precious months of freedom."

"Don't make me pity him, Koko. I love you, but pitying him is not possible. He nearly destroyed Ninjago."

"Under Chen's command," she corrected. "And they weren't even trying to destroy our home. Chen wanted to rule, that was all. Unlike the Overlord, or Serpentine, or Acronix and Krux and Morro, he was just a man with a messed up mind. And Clouse was forced to follow him, being raised that way."

Garmadon remained silent, glaring at the noirette across the deck. After a moment, Clouse leaned over the railing to dip his hand into the ocean, and a small, breathless laugh reached them. Koko's maternal instincts were quick to kick in - he was acting like a little kid!

Still, she knew Garmadon was right. He could be doing anything to get them off-guard, even if he was enjoying his first few hours in the sun for quite some time.

She couldn't help but shake the feeling he knew something they didn't, though. When she had mentioned the Sons of the Oni would kill Lloyd after the ritual, there had been something in his eyes. Something that suggested he knew why, or that something might happen if they did. But what? If they killed the Dragon half of Lloyd, Harumi would be the only surviving person with even a shred of Dragon power in her. If Lloyd died with no heir, the unique powers of the Oni and Dragon together would be lost forever.

But why was killing Lloyd something that caught Clouse's attention?

-

They reached the mainland an hour and a half later, and Clouse was guided off behind Koko and Garmadon. They had landed on a secluded beach south of the main port, ensuring they wouldn't be seen. Clouse was shoved onto his knees, and, after a moment, the noirette held his wrists up with an unamused expression. With a glance to Garmadon to make sure it was alright, Hyottoko stepped closer, unlocked his cuffs, and stepped back, standing between Clouse and the king and queen.

Rubbing his pink wrists, Clouse murmured something to himself before settling and closing his eyes, resting the tips of his fingers on the ground. As he began chanting softly, a dark purple glow encircled the sand around his hands, and two lagged lines shot off, uniting in the sand behind Garmadon and Koko before disappearing over a nearby hill.

_" Löydä hänet ... Etsi yksi venomiselta hänen suonissaan ... Näytä minne se on!"_

Neon red light shot down the dark lines from the opposite direction. As they reached the tips of Clouse's fingers, the magic user flew back a few feet with a cry, slamming against the hull of the boat. Koko was the first at his side, worry in her expression. "Clouse? Clouse, are you alright?"  


Though his breathing was more of a wheeze, Clouse waved her away, rubbing his head. "Yes, yes... Someone attempted to stop me from viewing Lloyd's location, that's all. I got a glimpse, but they're on the move. We have to move quickly."

"Why? Where are they going?"

With a grimace, Clouse opened his eyes again, and the hazel darkened. "To the final Oni mask."

 


	6. Mask of Hatred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone converges on the sight of the final Oni Mask, the Mask of Hatred... The Quiet One shows his face, and the green ninja faces not one, but two betrayals in mere minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoop-dee-doo some of you probably already know the quiet one if you keep up with the jade exchange tag oops  
> people do some stupid stuff and people get hurt

Despite all the finery, he had insisted the Oni would be pleased to return with the blood of another strengthening him. Lloyd knew where they were going, but he was numb; all he could think about was Hutchins, how he had remained stone-faced even as the knife...

If he had anything left in his stomach, it would have been long gone.

He was curled up in his cage, miserably trying to do anything but remember Hutchin's last moments - and the fact he was soon to join him. He knew the Sons of the Oni would kill him once the ritual was complete. He knew that, despite their best attempts, the ninja stood no chance against the Quiet One. Not when they found out who he was. It was how the Sons of the Oni had been able to avoid them at all costs... An insider.

He could see the Bounty from where he was. They'd taken a boat down the river to avoid being spotted and to meet up with someone Violet and Killow had been talking about for a while. He got his answer when the boat slowed around a hundred meters from being under the Bounty; a few quiet barks sounded from the left shore, then a whistle. He lifted his head and squinted, but the two newcomers were hidden under cloaks. He managed a look at the dog with them; a small, husky-looking pup with raven-black fur. His underbelly was gray, along with his eyes, which turned to Lloyd while the others talked.

The boat began moving again, slowly and silently creeping along. When they stopped once more, Ultraviolet unlocked his cage and yanked him out. "Good thing we remembered to gag you before leaving," she mused. "Your voice is really annoying."

_I can say the same for you._

With a grip on his upper right arm, the two followed E off of the boat. He noticed the two newcomers split from them fairly soon, leaving only E, Ultraviolet, and Killow while the rest of the gang remained on the boat to stay hidden. Eyeing the newcomers, Lloyd couldn't help but feel sick when he realized they were heading to the cliffs overlooking the Bounty. Were they assassins?

 _Stay safe, Rumi...For both of_ _us_.

-

Rumi was dizzy when she woke up in her bed. She squinted at the sunlight that hit her eyes and slowly sat up, rubbing at her head. Wu had had them adjust the windows in their rooms so the sun wouldn't disturb them unless it was closer to noon. Because of this fact, alarm shot through her, and she shot up - promptly falling down again.

The thump seemed to alert someone abovedeck, because Kai was inside moments later, worry in his eyes. "Rumi! You're awake." He rushed over, helping her sit up. "Nya mentioned you couldn't sleep last night, and that you went to Wu about your parents... Are you alright?"

"I... I think so," she slurred, blinking to clear her vision. "Wu gave me some tea with.... something... To make me fall asleep faster... Dunno why I slept so much, though..."

"Yeah, you had us all worried... Wu went down to check out the cave and make sure they didn't beat us here. He told us to watch over you until he got back."

Harumi's brows furrowed; something from when she'd passed out came to mind. "When did he leave?"

"Um... About an hour ago."

"Get me up."

"Wha- Rumi, you're still tired-"

"No, I'm not. He drugged me. He didn't want me interfering and came up with a lie so you guys wouldn't follow him."

Kai recoiled slightly, frowning. "What are you saying?"

"Passed over for the kingdom and the hybrid powers. Passed over for the one he secretly loved. He found out there was a way to make his brother's life hell, and he took it. That's how they knew how to avoid us! That's how they knew where we were and when, when Lloyd was out of the Palace with me! Wu is working with them! _Wu is the Quiet One!"_

Kai was still for several moments. She knew why; the elder was like a father to them all. "...Why...?"

"He taught us everything we know. He knows what we'll try to do. He tricked us to seem like the sweet innocent brother Garmadon always thought he was. Now help me up, Lloyd has to be down there!"

They were with the others less than a minute later. Thankfully, Harumi's mind was starting to clear, so she was able to walk on her own by then. She didn't hesitate, diving off the side of the Bounty and landing on a ledge along the cliffside that hid the cave to the final mask. Kai could explain, after all. She had to help Lloyd.

A howl sounded over her, and she looked up in time to avoid an arrow. It tore off a small part of the leg of her gi, and the head was an unsafe purple. Glancing back up, she noticed two figures above her, and a small wolf jumping from ledge to ledge down to her.

Chunks of rock slammed into the two above her, and she sent a silent thanks to Cole as she descended. She kept an eye on the wolf, but as the cliff curved off a bit and became exposed to light, she noted it became less and less quick to follow her path, trying to stay in the shadows. She could figure that out later; her feet sunk into the sand before the cave. She spotted a small flicker of light within, along with five figures, and, pulling up her mask, entered silently and followed them.

The first set of tricks was fairly easy. A series of pillars was the only way across; she was able to note several gaps and shattered pillars, all with a particular mark on them. So, careful to watch out for them, she made her way across, breathing out softly. She could only hope the ninja would figure it out, too...

She peered around the corner, seeing the five at a dead-end. Ultraviolet was ranting about how the temple would keep them guessing forever; Killow and E were silent, looking at Wu. His eyes were closed, but his annoyance was clear, and after a few more moments, he grabbed the noirette and slammed her against a wall with a growl. "Shut your mouth. If you listen, we could actually figure out how to get through this!"

It sent a shiver up her spine to see her teacher this way. He had always been calm; the few times he had gotten angry was when they endangered each other or couldn't work things out as easily as they should have. But she had never, ever seen him this way. Not enough to harm another.

Ultraviolet choked out a 'yes, sir,' and he released her. He turned to Lloyd, crossing his arms. "I doubt your father would have hidden all the secrets of this place. Talk."

E removed a gag around the blond's mouth, and the prince glanced around nervously. "I... I don't know, uncle..."

"You must!" Wu gripped Lloyd by the hair, turning him to face the two slightly indented walls - clearly another test. Break the wrong one, and something happened. One had the same mark as before, on the pillars. "Choose, or I'll drag you out of here and make that insufferable girl choose!"

Lloyd stiffened with a whimper, and Rumi wanted nothing more than to rush in and protect him. But both Killow and E had the other two masks, and without the ninja, she would be overpowered in an instant.

After a moment, the blond managed to nod at the one with the symbol. "I-If we weren't supposed to trust the symbol before, naturally we'd associate it with harm... And we'd want to avoid it, so- so it's flipped, now - it means safe passage..."

Wu nodded to Killow, and after putting on the Mask of Deception, the latter slammed through the wall. A chamber lay behind it, and Wu gave a cold hum. "Good." He shoved Lloyd in front of him; the blond stumbled but quickly caught himself.

Harumi took a step to follow them, but a growl made her freeze before pain spread through her arm. With a cry, she glanced down to see the wolf from earlier latched on to her.

Wu turned, smiling icily at her. "Right on time. Though I wish those two fools would have taken you out. Sukoshi, return."

With an iron grip, the wolf dragged her towards the five. She could see the fear in Lloyd's eyes, and before she could break free, E grabbed her other arm, giving a small signal to the wolf to let her go.

"Now, dear nephew, I hope you will comply."

Lloyd was already crying as Wu, once more, shoved him into the chamber. In the center, on a pedestal, sat the Mask of Hatred. Like the other two, it resembled a disfigured face, though it was purple instead of red or orange. With a soft click, Ultraviolet unlocked Lloyd's cuffs, pushing him towards the mask. With a regretful look back at Harumi (which gave her the chance to see the blood on his clothes - was he hurt?) he turned to the mask, reached for it, and pulled it from the pedestal.

-

Koko squinted down at the group from the hill they were on. Garmadon, Clouse, Hyottoko and the rest of the guards were in the dip below her, waiting for her signal.

The ninja were struggling but overpowered and defeated, especially as she noticed a group of six leaving the cave. Three held the Oni Masks; her breath hitched as she noticed Lloyd, clothes bloodied, Harumi, a sword at her neck, and Wu, leading them all.

Her nails dug into her palm and her teeth dug into the inside of her cheek. She sent a look back at Garmadon, and he winced, glancing away. Clouse was crouched nearby, eyes closed and hands on the ground - likely getting an idea of where everyone was before they attacked, lest he hurt one of their own. As she began turning back to the others, she noticed his eyes flash open, and his mouth opened to sound an alarm before something slammed into her shoulder.

With a cry, she twisted, spotting the shaft of an arrow before Garmadon was at her side, sword out and guards by him. Pain radiated from the wound, and gritting her teeth, Koko ripped the arrow from her shoulder, observing the tip with alarm. It was coated in a red and green mixture - a green that had haunted her nightmares after her son was bitten.

The Devourer's venom.

Only two people could possibly stand coating their weapons with it.

"Garmadon," she hissed, and her husband looked back at her. From his expression, she knew he had the same thought train, and he tensed. "Hyottoko, get the guards and Clouse out of here-"

"Leaving so soon?"

The group whipped their heads to the sound of the voice. An older, mirror image of Harumi was there, smiling innocently. Well, nearly mirror. Her eyes were a dark, bloody red, and she had another venom-coated arrow nocked in her bow. "And here I thought we could catch up."

The cry of a guard made Koko's head spin; the pain was traveling from her shoulder throughout her body, and the sudden weight of a body on her didn't help. Faintly, she couldn't help but wonder where Clouse had gone; he wasn't with the guards, nor where he had been when the ambush commenced. Had he abandoned them?

The soft clanks of two weapons hitting the ground made her look up. Garmadon and Hyottoko were the only two of the group standing, though barely in the latter's case. Garmadon had to support him, and Koko noticed a wound in the redhead's side. Still, Hyo kept up a strong face.

_Leave it to Hutchin's son to be just like him..._

The next few moments were a blur for her; when everything cleared, she was on her knees next to Garmadon, and the gang member with the red mask shoved Hyo into the river. Wu was in front of them, smiling in a way that was far from reaching his eyes.

"Brother. I suspected you would come, though I didn't expect you to risk the life of your beautiful wife."

"And I didn't expect you to lie to us about where you sent Harumi's parents," Garmadon hissed back.

The green ninja's head instantly snapped up, gaze trailing to the two now-uncloaked figures. The woman gave her a sweet, yet deadly smile. "So nice to see you again, dear. Funny to think you grew up to look just like your mama... Aside from this." She reached over, brushing the hair away from Harumi's scar. Her gaze turned cold, and a sharp pain made Harumi gasp.

Lloyd gave a cry, and it was all she could do to look down at the knife in her stomach. Her mother stepped away, leaving her shaking from shock and pain, and the elder smiled once more. "I don't like copycats, Harumi."

The water felt like a thousand tiny daggers stabbing at her as she drifted off.


	7. Loxias

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their leader gone and their teacher against them, the ninja have given up hope. The ritual proceeds, though not in the way the Sons of the Oni hope...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double update? double update. i really got into the swing of this and don't wanna stop. might end up a bit shorter tho whoops

Lloyd couldn't bear to meet the gaze of the ninja or his parents as Wu entered the chamber. The three Oni Masks were already set out, and as the ritual required a blood sacrifice (though he didn't know if it meant death or just, well, blood) the ninja were the perfect candidates.

The chamber was a part of the maze of halls under the palace, reserved for his grandfather's magicians to use however they liked. Enchantments had been placed around the Jade Palace to prevent its destruction, though that would do little good for them now.

His uncle knelt in front of him and grasped his chin, humming softly. "You could have been spared this all had you not refused to come with me all those years ago... I would have trained you, and you could have explored the world instead of being trapped in this palace your whole life." The gentle grip disappeared, and Wu backhanded him. "Little rat... Now, I have no regrets making you suffer with your father."

Lloyd scooted back a bit, looking down. All he could think about was Harumi; the shock in her eyes, the pain, the blood, how she didn't even try to surface after being thrown into the river... Tears slipped past, but his face remained blank. The Sons of the Oni were around the walls, silent and watching as the door slid open. E pushed in a noirette Lloyd vaguely remembered; he noticed his father standing, only to be instantly shoved back down by Killow. "Clouse...!"

The latter remained stone-faced and silent, though he sent a quick glance to the king. In a way, it seemed like he was trying to reassure the brunette, but it was too quick for the blond to be sure.

"Now, we can begin." Wu held out an old, weathered book to Clouse. After a moment of staring at it with disgust, the noirette took it, opening the weathered pages to a marked section. He lifted his hand, aiming it at Lloyd, and sent a sorrowful look to the prince before beginning.

_" Erota Oniin ja Dragonin siteet; vapauta peto hänen häkistä. Yksi tulee kahdeksi, koko tulee puoliksi, harmaa tulee mustavalkoiseksi. Kuuntele puheluni, Oni; muistakaa se, ja irrota kevyemmästä puolestasi!"_

Pain struck Lloyd as a red-purple light left Clouse's hand and snaked around him. The noirette continued, repeating the verse, and Wu called out, "Join him, Descendants of Darkness! Call forth your master, and our revenge will be eternal!"  


Under Clouse's voice, several dozens murmured the words with him. Lloyd had closed his eyes tightly, but with each new voice, a new bolt of pain struck him, and he couldn't stop from crying out. He collapsed onto his side, muscles spasming as the spell continued, over and over, pain mounting, and he couldn't breathe, couldn't think, all he felt was the sensation of everything ripping in half, left from right, front from back, and he _screamed_ and cried and still it continued.

It felt like years had passed in agonizing pain before it was gone, very suddenly, leaving him sore but aware. Blearily, he opened his eyes, blinking - and sat up quickly as he faced a mirror image of himself beyond the bars of his cage.

Well, near-mirror. It was like... A dark version of himself. Olive skin, dark brown hair, and dark clothing separated them, but everything else was the same with their features. The thing - the Oni - was still for several moments before breathing in deeply and opening his eyes.

Instead of one green and one red, like Lloyd was used to seeing, they were both reds. Not dark, like blood, but bright, almost glowing. They were alert, cunning, taking in everything around them in a mere heartbeat. The whites were black, and as he stared back at Lloyd, a small grin slowly formed on his face.

_ "Free at last." _

-

"Wake up. Come on, wake up! You have to... Everyone needs you!"

She stirred and winced in pain, slowly opening her eyes. The red-headed guard she'd seen with Garmadon and Koko knelt above her, concern in his eyes; it quickly melted to relief, and he sat back with a sigh. "Thank god... I thought you were gone for sure..."

"...What... What happened?"

"I pulled you out of the river about a kilo from where they dropped you in. You were pretty badly wounded, but... When you live with a magic user for a few years, you pick up a few things."

"You're...?"

"Not as experienced, but I could heal you so it wasn't a life-threatening wound." He nodded down at her stomach. He'd pulled her gi up enough to expose it; makeshift bandages wound around her torso, and she noted he'd pulled off his armor and set it aside, now wearing a thin, simple cotton shirt. "I wasn't able to stop the others at all," he continued quietly, sighing and running a hand through his hair. "I had to focus on you, and by the time I was done I was exhausted. It's nearly night, now. They left a few hours ago."

Alarm woke Harumi up fully, and she sat up slowly. "We have to catch up to them... They won't hesitate to perform the ritual, not now that they have the three masks. They're going to kill Lloyd when they're done."

"Not if they want the Oni half to live."

"Huh...?"

"Clouse told me about the spell on our way from his prison, in case he was forced to perform it. It separates the Oni and the Dragon, but they still share a life force. A hybrid of Oni and Dragon is created to be just like that - a mix of the two. No more or less than the other. Wu doesn't know this. If he kills Lloyd, he kills both of them."

"There cannot be dark without light," Harumi whispered, "nor light without dark."

"Exactly. They share wounds and injuries. Which is why we have to get going with even more urgency. If they kill Lloyd and the Oni half, those powers have nowhere to go. It's not a matter of not passing them on and letting them disappear - the descendants are vessels for the spirits of the Oni and Dragon themselves. If the descendant with the power dies before passing it on, the Oni and the Dragon are free to choose new hosts and begin their fight again."

"...yeah, time to go."

-

"My son," Wu murmured, stepping closer. The Oni's gaze left Lloyd, snapping to Wu in a glare. In an instant, the blond was held above the floor by the throat, and the Oni growled out, "You are not my father. You simply enabled me to be. Do not misjudge me."

He dropped the blond, and Wu fell into a coughing fit, curled up on the floor as the Oni turned back to Lloyd. He gave a hum and knelt once more, tilting his head. After a moment, he spoke with the voice of a curious child - much different from how he had been moments before. "Name me."

"...what...?"

"Name me. We were once one, and all I know of the world is from your shadow."

It took Lloyd several moments to understand he was serious. So, hesitantly, quietly, he said, "I... Don't know many fitting names, but... Would Loxias do...? For now, anyway...? It means 'crooked,' and until you experience things for yourself, that's how everything seems to you."

The Oni's face lit up, and he nodded. "Very well. My name shall be Loxia-"

He cut off with a hiss as Lloyd cried out, pressing a hand to his side. His gaze flickered to Wu and the bloody dagger he held - the same he'd killed Hutchins with. Pain flared every time he breathed, and he felt sick as he realized Wu most likely had punctured a lung.

Loxias, however, was in the same position, and confusion roared through Lloyd's mind. Why would he be hurt with the blond? Was it because there hadn't been a blood sacrifice?

He couldn't find the words to ask as Garmadon slammed into his cage, using a loose stone from the floor to break the lock as Loxias launched at Wu with a furious snarl. Everything was chaos, and he was confused, so he just closed his eyes, buried his face in his father's chest, and passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> loxias knew what wu didn't and that's why he was nice to lloyd  
> also he knows nothing of the world so he's like a hurt puppy - curious but on guard  
> this was when wu realized - he fucked up  
> stay tuned for the next update~


	8. Shadows and Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While protecting the prince as he recovers and mourning the loss of their leader, the ninja speculate on Loxias and why he, unlike the Sons of the Oni, didn't want to hurt the blond. In the mean time, Harumi and Hyo discover just what was on the weapons that injured them...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i made the mistake of listening to the background music of zane's death in the s3 finale. i glanced at the video for a second and i'm emotional and now you will all share in my pain.

The ninja were no strangers to the sounds of a hospital. With no other place to go to help Lloyd, with the palace being overrun by Wu, Loxias and the Sons of the Oni, they had hunkered down in a private emergency room reserved for people of high status that couldn't be seen injured - or found.

At the moment, it was all up to the prince. His wound carefully tended to and cauterized to seal the tear in his left lung, he was also being carefully fed nutrients and various vitamins; with a life inside the palace, he was hardly in the sun as it was, so the extra days of no sunlight had not done him any favors. The room was completely silent for quite a while after the doctors had left with strict instructions to call them at the first sign of alarm.

Cole was sitting the closest to the blond, a natural sick feeling in his stomach. The last time he had been in a hospital, after all, was to say goodbye to his mother. He'd avoided them since, along with doctors. Everything had been fine until they'd gone in to see what was wrong with her back and they diagnosed her with pancreatic cancer. It was why he'd always dealt with any small thing himself, from scrapes to dislocated joints from mountain climbing.

It was the thought of his favorite pastime from a few years prior that made his blood boil. He could still clearly remember the day he'd met Sensei Wu at the top of that mountain the day after his mother had died. The strain of climbing, aching and screaming muscles, and the faint thought of  _what if I fell_ always distracted him enough, but the elder had brought a calming sense that day. 

That very man was now trying to destroy everything and everyone they loved.

Sharp pain alerted him at his palms, and he quickly had to uncurl his fingers. Small drops of blood were forming from where he'd dug his nails in too harshly. In the same day, they had been betrayed by their Sensei, lost their leader - no, their friend, and they had come very close to losing one of the most important people in Ninjago.

Not to mention Garmadon and Koko, the latter of whom now had the Devourer's venom running through her veins. 

Not to mention Harumi's parents were somewhere in Ninjago, free and with a whole load of the stuff and other poisons with them.

They all jumped up when the door opened, and Clouse blinked at them in surprise and slight confusion. Though he noted Kai stayed on guard, Cole sat with everyone else, a soft sigh rising in the room. They were all expecting news, he knew it. From who, and what kind of news, none of them knew.

"Sorry for scaring you..." Clouse slipped the door shut, clearing his throat slightly. "Look, I know none of us have the fondest memories with one another, so I'll be brief so none of you have to be in the same room as me longer than you need to. Because the Devourer was destroyed by you all, there was no chance to get a sample of the venom to create a cure. But now that we know Harumi's parents have at least a little, there is a chance to save Koko. I know you're all worried about Lloyd, but the best thing right now is to find them and stop further harm. Once we ensure the venom won't cause Koko more harm than it already has, we can get working on stopping Loxias and Wu."

"Y'know," Jay interrupted, frowning, "something's just... off about that guy. He's got the soul of the Oni in him, not to mention the venom of the Devourer enhancing everything. Why was he so gentle with Lloyd? Wouldn't he want to destroy the Dragon part and take over?"

"You forget that Loxias was a part of Lloyd until tonight." Clouse shifted, leaning against the door and crossing his arms. "Many people do many foolish things because of things they cannot control. Loxias is the vessel for the Oni, yes, but he is still human like any of us. It's... Like what happened to Harumi's parents with the venom. They could still think on their own, but the venom influenced those thoughts and took over their minds slowly until they couldn't tell what was their thoughts and what the venom was telling them to do. Let alone the physical side effects..."

"Wait," Cole tilted his head, "what effects?"

"The venom works like an acid. It... eats away at a person's insides as a slow torture; an eternal pain until the victim submits. There's no way to undo it, either, as far as we could find. Undo the venom, yes, but we'd essentially leave the victim with a failing body. The venom keeps them alive, now. It's hollowed out the shell and taken over. That is why you need to find them and the venom. We need a cure, or else Koko will suffer the same fate."

"The chances of us finding them are extremely low," Zane pointed out, crossing his arms. "They did not accompany the Sons of the Oni to the ritual, and we do not know their intended course or who they might go after."

"I can tell you that one. They want revenge on the ones that cast them away. Wu kept in contact with them and kept them in Ninjago, so he's excluded. They'll either be trying to go after Garmadon or the previous generation of Elemental Masters - the ones who banished them."

Kai shot up, alarm in his eyes. "Our parents-!"

"We have to warn the other Masters," Nya said at the same time, hands clenched at her sides. "If they know we'll protect our parents, then they'll go after them!"

"Zane, send a message to Borg. He'll be able to contact them all, somehow," Cole murmured, standing with another glance to Lloyd. "What about my dad? My mom's already gone, would they try to take revenge on him?"

"It's likely," Clouse sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The venom only wants power. Fear and hate are powerful assets to that. If they are feared, they control. If they are hated, they use that hate to make the haters think incorrectly, or unsafely without considering all the options."

"So Kai on the best of days?"

" _Jay!"_

Despite the solemn mood, a snort left Cole, and a quiet round of laughter left the entire group. Because of that, they nearly missed the soft 'tap tap tap' on the glass of the door. Clouse shifted out of the way and opened it, and in flew the falcon.

"What are you doing here, my friend?" Zane frowned, extending an arm to let the falcon rest on. With a chirrup, the bird's eyes lit up, and two figures appeared in hologram form.

Everyone went still and silent at the figure on the left.

_Harumi._

_She's alive._

"Alright, we have limited time for this," the other figure spoke, turning to Harumi. "We need to get going soon, but if you think this'll work, get to it."

The blond nodded, then turned to face the front. "If you guys are seeing this, I hope it's not too late. We survived, somehow - I'll explain when we meet up - but we're without weapons, my powers are too weak to use, and we're playing cat-and-mouse with my parents." She reached out, taking something out of frame, and leaned back, holding the portable tracker the falcon was equipped with. "Use Zane's falcon to find us. We're following the river, right now, but we don't know if we're going to or away from you all. And hurry, please. There's so much but so little time... Go, ninja, go." The hologram flickered off.

Clouse was the first to speak, softly. "Well. I guess we know where they are, now."

-

Harumi's eyes strained, watching the falcon flit away through the trees before Hyo gently tugged at her arm. "C'mon," he murmured. "If they're safe, they'll find us soon. We need to get moving and find somewhere to stay the night, though. And some food."

After a moment, she nodded, and the two resumed their trek through the woods. The river was nearby; close enough that they could keep on course, but far enough that anyone else following it wouldn't be able to spot them easily. They moved in silence, and despite the calm face he was putting on, Harumi knew Hyo was as worried about this as she was. They were defenseless until they rested and recovered; Hyottoko's magic was limited and her own powers relied on her energy. With wounds that forced them to break every so often, it was another concern.

With the forest getting darker by the minute, Harumi found herself desperately wishing they could use some kind of light. She hated the dark, especially after everything with the Overlord. She always had the fear in the back of her mind that it was still around, waiting for her to be unguarded, in the dark and alone, before it struck. Because of this, it wasn't long before she found herself gripping her companion's arm for reassurance.

For his part, Hyottoko said little, though he did take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. She could see his eyes flicker to her in the dark, but it was getting nearly impossible to see.

After tripping more than their fair share of times, the two finally stopped, leaning against a tree as they tried to gain some sort of bearing. With the forest filled with the normal soft sounds of nocturnal life, it was the safest guarantee they could have - so, softly she whispered, "Can you see anything?"

"No. Even in the densest part of the forest, we should still be able to see, though... I don't get it."

"Remember, my parents used a lot of various poisons," Harumi murmured, slowly lowering herself to the ground. She could hear the redhead beside her doing the same, and both brushed their hands together for reassurance. "They likely tipped their blades with something so that even if we did survive the wounds and the river, we would be easy prey."

"Right... Likely something that makes us temporarily blind, then, or more sensitive to exactly how much light we get. You probably didn't notice since the sun was going down, but after healing you, everything was way too bright. I thought it was just the cost of exhausting myself, but now that this is happening, that's probably not the case."

"Probably not," Rumi agreed, blinking her eyes rapidly. "Can you try to get the poison out with magic?"

"Not until I've regained more energy. I only slept earlier because I passed out, and we've been on the move since then. Let alone without food or much water. It's like your powers. They have a cost."

"Then our best bet is to hope we're safe for the night..."

"It seems so, yes. If the effects are still present in the morning, we'll know for sure it's some sort of poison."

The green ninja sighed, curling up and slightly leaning against her companion. "The worst part of being a ninja is waiting..."

The redhead snorted. "Try me. I've been guarding Clouse for three years, now. Before then, I was always trying to get into some kind of good position, with my dad being the Master of Arms, but he didn't give me any favors. He said I had to work my way up like everyone else. He still gave me some tips now and again, though." He went quiet for a moment, then whispered, "I miss him... I hope I can see him again soon."

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see you again... Hutchins never mentioned he had a family, though."

"Most of the guards at the Palace prefer not to have any. In case someone ever tries to bribe them or harm the ones they love, that is. That doesn't stop them from having some fun with the female servants, though... Anyways. Hutchins - my father - fell in love with a deaf servant, and, well, a few years later, I was born. But... As expected, someone tried to get at the royals through Hutchins using my mother, and she's been missing ever since I was a baby. In a way, I was raised more by the guards than even my father. But as nice as it would be to have my mother... I never knew her. So... I wouldn't change things if I had the chance. I wouldn't end up where I am today, not like that."

"Trust me, time travel is trippy," Rumi murmured. "We've done it more than once. Nearly messed everything up several times over."

"I don't doubt it. Things are meant to be how they are, after all... Enough of this for now, though. We'd better rest and get moving early to keep them off our trail. Good night, Harumi."

"Good night, Hyottoko..."

And they slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so to be completely honest I did not know Hyo would end up as Hutchin's son, but his character ended up fitting there. Don't worry to everyone worried about ships, he's just making sure Rumi knows she's not alone.  
> May or may not do something special with him soon. Depends.  
> Hope you all enjoyed this mostly-exposition-again chapter, and I hope to get the next one up soon~


	9. Light and Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even with his other half in the hospital and in a coma, Loxias is determined to push through and learn about the world. That is, if he can get past the man that caused him his wounds in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is reminding me of another fic i did where i switched off between lloyd and his darker/'evil' half. in fact, there will be a nod to such in the conclusion of this fic, most likely  
> written during a mood drop, more of a vent, based on the greatest showman soundtrack because singing that with volume full blast is the only thing that calmed me down.  
> loxias gets pretty messed up when thinking, so you can ignore most if not all the italics after the first line.  
> other warnings (more specific to the italics and chapter): a want to torture, death, attempted rape, multiple thoughts/voices at once, loneliness, attempted suicide depending on how you see things

_Why are humans such despicable creatures?_

This was the only thought on Loxias' mind as he walked the streets alone, hood raised and eyes shrouded yet still perceiving the world around him with perfect accuracy. The streets were all but empty; everyone was terrified with the rumors of the Oni Masks, the potential assassination of the Prince, the condition of the Queen, and every little thing in between.

The noirette himself was curious to see his opposite half's condition, though he knew he must be alive by the fact he himself was not dead. Alive, yes, but perhaps not fully aware. He had to keep fighting the urge to curl up somewhere like many of the alley cats he'd seen and just sleep until everything made sense.

He had Lloyd's memories, but from a warped view; such was the perspective of a shadow. And it did him little good, considering the blond only ever left the Palace at night to feed the homeless. A shiver went up his spine at the memories of the most recent night of such, and he couldn't stop his thoughts from drifting to his - Lloyd's - companion that night.

There was something about Harumi that Lloyd had connected with. If given the chance, he guessed the prince would likely try to court her - wasn't date the modern word? - and learn of the world in the daytime all at once, should he survive this ordeal.

_Of course he will survive. He must. If he dies, so shall I._

_But wouldn't it be best to get it over with, to feel his blood on my hands, feel his struggles decrease as the life faded from his eyes - only to be drawn back by the scream of one he loved, and he remained still, unable to help or stop me, and there was the broken look - the Dragon was broken - a fate much worse than death -_

**_Make him suffer for all those years you spent as his shadow._ **

He stilled with another shiver, this of fear. The voices in his head were hard to quiet, no matter what he did. A part of him, a very large part, wanted to follow them, to torture Lloyd - and the Dragon within him - but a very small part just wanted to coexist with him, learn of the world together peacefully, and help everyone they could.

He knew well the story of the beings that now held him vessel. The Oni and the Dragon, Yin and Yang, Light and Dark. Each had a piece of another within them that tore them apart and created whom Ninjago would know as the First Spinjitzu Master. His grandfather. Well, Lloyd's, but that didn't matter, because they were the same person, right?

_No, you're just a copy, a useless, disgusting copy that can't even kill his enemy because you're too afraid to die_

He pressed his hands to his forehead, hissing out a breath and leaning against a lamppost. He couldn't stop the shiver, though it was followed by another, and another, and more until he was shaking, and something dripped down his cheeks, and he recoiled when he realized he was cr-

_"No! Get away, please!"_

His head snapped up, but he was otherwise motionless. The cry had pierced the silence of the night, which unsettled him. Everyone should have been safe with their families in their homes. Why was someone crying out for help?

Tugging his hood closer to his face, he moved closer to the nearby alley, where the cry had come from. The scuffle of feet along concrete could be heard, along with a muffled yelp and several whimpers. A cat darted out past him, and he nearly jumped back in surprise. Unlike the others he had seen, though, this had a collar, and was mewling fearfully. It spotted him and instantly drew closer, rubbing against his leg almost timidly.

As much as the sounds from the alley were alarming, he knelt down, giving the kitten a reassuring scratch behind the ears. Its mewling quieted, and a soft purr began, and he smiled, standing fully.

_If I can't kill the Dragon, I might as well take it out on someone else more deserving._

He stepped into the alley. Three figures were at the dead end twenty yards away, one struggling wildly against the other two. The faint moonlight was enough for him to see that the two closest to him were men, the struggling victim a teenager - though he couldn't identify male or female. The blond hair was enough to enrage part of him and pull out the side that was protective. It was the combination of these two that led to him ripping the assailants from their prey, sparing only a glance at the cowering teen.

"Close your eyes."

He didn't wait to see if they did or not. Everything hazed red, and the human part of him stepped back and let the Oni free.

When he had conscious thought once more, he could feel that part of him retreating with almost a pleased growl. One glance down at the men - or, well, their bloody remains - was enough to stir feelings of nausea in him. He turned away from them, to the teen, who was still cowering with their eyes pressed shut. He moved closer slowly, speaking softly. "I want you to keep your eyes closed until I say to open them. I swear on my life, I will not harm you. You will return home safely to your parent's arms." He reached out, brushing away a lock of hair; the teen stiffened, then slowly relaxed, nodding.

He helped them stand, taking a trembling hand in his own, and carefully guided the blonde around the bodies. He paused at the edge of the alley, murmured, "Wait here," and let go of the teen's hand. He knelt, dipping the tips of his fingers in the growing pool of blood, and simply wrote 'rapists.'

Loxias wiped away the excess blood and returned to the blonde. With a quiet ask for directions, he began leading them away from the scene. Only when they were a block away did he allow them to open their eyes; a cloudy gray locked onto his, and he felt the other stiffen.

He tilted his head a bit, frowning to himself. Something felt off - missing. What could it be...?

A meow at his side caused him to look down, and he smiled. That was it. He knelt, scooping the cat into his arms, and gingerly transferred the feline into the blonde's arms. "Here. You know how to get home from here?"

A quick nod was given, then a soft, "I- y-yeah."

"Good. Best for you to get going. I believe someone's a little hungry." He gave another light scratch to the cat's ears, humming. His eyes flickered up, meeting the gray once more. "Take care of yourself. Please."

"I... I will. Thank you- Thank you so much-"

"Don't mention it," he gently shushed, shaking his head. "People like that are the shadows to the light of those like you. Continue shining, brighter each day, and soon, they will never be able to harm you or another."

A smile finally tugged at the teen's lips, and they nodded. Feminine features, yet their overall appearance made them look male, from the clothes to the hairstyle. Well, he would stick with gender neutral to avoid offending them.

It felt like lightning struck his skin when they moved closer and hugged him, careful of the kitten between them. "Thank you..."

Loxias was frozen for more than a few moments before slowly forcing his arms to return the embrace. He let out a breath, and with it, his reply. "It was nothing."

-

He remained crouched on a rooftop, watching as the teen made their way into a small home. Through one of the dirty windows, he could see a brunette male instantly make his way over, evidently worrying over his companion from the expression and how he cupped the blonde's cheeks. He only stopped when the cat jumped on his shoulders, and Loxias had to hide a smile, though no one would have seen.

"Perhaps this is the true meaning of balance," he murmured to himself, eyeing the dried blood on his hands. "Protecting those who cannot protect themselves, even if it means rather... violent means."

"Loxias."

He tensed and spun, hissing out a growl when he saw Wu standing behind him, arms crossed. Leave it to the blond to have the stealth of a ninja, despite Loxias' sensitive hearing. Every sense felt heightened after spilling blood, and a part of him worried while the rest relished in it.

"What do you want, old fool?"

"One would think you would learn to respect your elders," Wu mumbled tiredly, rubbing his forehead. "Loxias, I did not know harming Lloyd would harm you. I-"

"Oh, I don't care about that. Anyone would make that mistake. What I care about is the fact you only brought me forwards in hopes to control me."

"I didn't-"

"I know you did. You want revenge on your brother because you didn't get anything you wanted, just like a spoiled child having a hissy fit."

"I did not-!"

"Just _shut up already,"_ Loxias groaned, turning away. "I told you. I'm not returning unless I deem you're the best opti-"

"I saw what you did for that girl."

He paused, slowly turning back to Wu. A small flash of smugness entered the blond's eyes. " _That_ is what I wanted. Peace for the innocent, punishment for the sinners. A world where everyone can be happy-"

"What, if they just follow your rules?" Loxias shook his head, fury entering his gaze. He could feel the Oni stirring again, like a beast in a cage - a cage he didn't want to unlock.

Not yet.

"Would that include not being happy with their bodies if they wish to be someone else? Would that include not being with someone they loved if they were the same gender, or having multiple partners with the consent of all? Would that include those finally beginning to express themselves to be shut out once more, denied the warmth of even a blanket for the freezing cold?"

"Loxias-"

"No. I'm not going to live in a world like that. The perfect world is where everyone can be happy. No one on the streets. No one suffering from the Devourer's venom. No one living in fear of their damn city being destroyed by the next big and bad guy to come in! No one living in fear of death, no one suffering a slow death of starvation, or dehydration, or hypothermia, or wasting away in a hospital room while their family tries everything to keep them alive, only to realize they only live because of machines!"

Tears were leaving his eyes. Of anger or sadness, he did not know.

"But this world will never be perfect! Don't you see?! Someone will always come along to ruin it! Someone like me! Those men didn't know they were going to die tonight! Now those who find them will live in fear of the supposed killer trying to do justice! Someone will always say no! Someone will always try to be in control, tell you who you have to be, or that you're disgusting whichever way you are! So stop trying, old fool, because a perfect world is impossible! Perhaps it was once possible, but as we are now, no one will ever fully love anyone they come across, you cannot force people to stop hating others, you cannot control anyone!"

He stepped back, very much conscious of the drop behind him. Wu tensed up, reaching for him. "Loxias-"

"And to be truthful? _Perfection is just damn boring."_

And he fell.

-

"Papa?"

"Hm? Yes, Lloyd, what is it?" Garmadon turned to the young boy, staring up at him curiously. Almost... Sadly.

"Why do people hurt others?"

He recoiled a bit, blinking in surprise before kneeling in front of his son. "What do you mean...?"

"We keep hearing about the Serpentine or the Stone Army or Chen or the Nindroids," Lloyd explained, tilting his head with a frown. "But what about the people on the streets? Why do people want to hurt one another?"

In truth, there was another current issue - the green ninja was possessed by one of Wu's old students, one that wished to, once more, destroy his beloved city.

But all that mattered right now was his son.

"Well... I don't think it's a matter of want," Garmadon stated slowly, sitting fully. "It's a matter of... Well, feeling as if you're not good enough, and lashing out in a way that doesn't necessarily have the best outcomes. People want to make themselves seem strong by making others seem weak. Does that make sense?"

"Mhm! I'm glad uncle Wu isn't like that. He's content with what he does!"

"Yes, that he is," Garmadon smiled, bringing the blond close in a hug and ruffling his hair. "Now, let's go find Hutchins. I want to see you fight."

"Okie, papa!" Lloyd moved to take off, then paused, looking up at him again. "Papa?"

"Yes, Lloyd?"

"If I ever try to hurt someone... Will you stop me?"

The brunette was speechless for several moments. Then, he picked his son up, smiling at him. "I won't have to. Because I know you'll never harm someone else, not without the best of reasons."

-

Something gripped his hand, and his body slammed against the building from momentum. It jolted Loxias back from the memory with a gasp, eyes snapping open and head swiveling to look up.

"I may have said you would never harm another without reason," Garmadon whispered, "but I never imagined you would consider hurting yourself like this."

A part of him broke, and he sobbed as his father pulled him up, into a tight embrace. He said nothing, just held him, let him talk about anything and just listened.

_Someone cared._

**Author's Note:**

> who doesn't love cliffhangers, amirite? Anyways, to clarify - Wu was not lost in time and is therefore not a baby here. Seasons 1, 2 and 3 occur without much difference, although excluding Garmadon being possessed by the Overlord and Lord Garmadon in general. 4,5, and 6 are a bit different - Chen was defeated without Garmadon being sent to the Cursed Realm, season five's mostly the same only without the ending no one wants to accept, and 6 is.... still mostly the same? 7, again, is essentially the same only the Time Twins were defeated and Wu was not lost to time. I think that covers everything.  
> Hope you enjoyed!


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